1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to injection molding machines and, more particularly, to a nozzle touch mechanism of an injection molding machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an injection molding machine, when molten material is to be injected into a mold attached to a stationary platen as part of a mold clamping mechanism, typically an injection mechanism is moved toward the mold clamping mechanism; a nozzle of a heating cylinder mounted on a leading end of the injection mechanism is brought into contact (also referred to as “nozzle touch”) with the mold attached to the stationary platen as part of the mold clamping mechanism; and, while the nozzle is made to apply pressure (also referred to as a “nozzle touch force”), the molten material is injected into the mold.
The injection mechanism therefore has a nozzle touch unit for applying the nozzle touch force to the stationary platen.
A known injection molding machine has a nozzle touch unit that includes a sliding section, mounted with an injection mechanism, for making the injection mechanism move and a driving section for moving the injection mechanism along the sliding section. The injection molding machine further includes a connection mechanism having a first end supported on a stationary platen and a second end supported on the driving section of the nozzle touch unit. The connection mechanism is supported on the stationary platen at at least two points that are disposed at symmetrical positions relative to a central axis of a nozzle. The nozzle touch force is thereby transmitted to the nozzle touch unit via the connection mechanism, which prevents the stationary platen and a mold attached to the stationary platen from being tilted by the nozzle touch force. (See, for example, JP-A-2001-38764)